TENDERLOIN OF BEEF

Here's a foolproof way to cook a beef tenderloin. It works every time. And it doesn't matter how many pounds it is, this recipe works for any size. I recently found a small piece in my freezer left over from some fancy dinner party from long ago. It was just enough for two people. I thawed it, and cooked it in my usual way - like here - and it was just as delicious as I had remembered it, from long ago. Beef tenderloin is expensive so I only serve it a few times a year but the ones I buy at Costco are just as good as the ones at Eddie's and somewhat less expensive. If you get a whole one, and it's a pound or two more than you need, just cut off the end and freeze it. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then put it in a plastic bag, sucking out as much air as possible from the bag. Then thaw it when you're ready.  It makes a lovely dinner for two on an ordinary Monday night.

This cooks at a very high temperature - when I open my oven, my smoke/heat alarms go off; I warn my guests that this will happen - so it's a good idea to  be sure your oven is clean. I serve my tenderloin with roasted cherry tomatoes and something green, like sugar snap peas or green beans with an herb butter.

 

BEEF TENDERLOIN

this recipe serves 8 - 10

 

1 whole file of beef (4-5 pounds), trimmed and tied (get your butcher to do this)

2 T unsalted butter at room temperature (important; it needs to be soft)

1 T salt (I use Kosher)

1 T coarsely ground black pepper

 

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

 

2. Put the beef on a baking sheet and pat it dry with paper towels. Spread the butter all over the beef with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for exactly 22 minutes (no matter the size) for rare, or 25 minutes for medium-rare.

 

3. Remove the beef from the oven and cover it tightly with aluminum foil to keep  it warm. Let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes to let the juices redistribute within the meat. Remove the strings and slice thickly.

 

4 Yum!